"Anachronisms" in your game

[Tinker Gnome]

Well, I have heard talk on some different forums and this one on "anachronisms" in gaming worlds. Now this is not goig to be a thread to rant about them, but instead to tell about what anachronisms you have in your game world, be they technilogical or social that you like.

Mind you I dont believe a fantasy world can even have anachronisms, but some do.

 

[dave_o]

Well, I'm only running one game right now while I'm trying to get my d20 wuxia game here in San Diego off the ground (THREAD LINK IN MY SIG GUYS HAY). But, in my online steampunk game among other things there are actually punks, that is counter-culture low income people with crazy hairstyles, etc. Though I suppose such a caste would easily develop in a Victorian setting, they're too close to the iconiclastic 70's punk to differentiate.

Also: tribal, coastal reggae goblins in the same game.

 

[S'mon]

Main one is that in most campaign cultures IMC women can be soldiers/warriors. Otherwise it's mostly the magic, which allows for instantaneous communication, travel etc.

 

[Turanil]

I try to make my homebrew campaign settings devoid of what I consider anachronisms. One of the anachronisms I don't tolerate and have seen often as a player, is to add Katanas in an otherwise totally western European medieval setting.

I well know that Arwen in the first LotR movie has a sword which blade looks like that of a katana, yet it's not the same thing. The players I have seen use katanas instead of longswords in a European medieval setting, wanted to have a one handed-sword that deals 1d10 of damage instead of 1d8, and because of the Highlander movie thought that there was something especially cool about the katana... **rolleyes**

I will allow the katana only the day I will run Legends of the Samurai. And of course only the appropriate classes will be allowed to wear a katana.

 

[Volaran]

The players I have seen use katanas instead of longswords in a European medieval setting, wanted to have a one handed-sword that deals 1d10 of damage instead of 1d8

Do you allow bastard swords? Do these players know of them?

In our previous game, the one strange sort-of anachronism the DM not only allowed but insisted on was the party bard having a wide variety of modern music ready for using any of his special abilities, with backup singers, ect. being drafted from the surroundings against their will. It was funny exactly once.

 

[Turanil]

Do you allow bastard swords? Do these players know of them?

Everybody has a copy of the PHB, and could take a bastard sword. Myself as a player of warrior types have a fondness for the greatsword (with power attack ). Nonetheless, there this irritating mystique surrounding the katana (at least it is tolerable in a modern setting).

 

[Stormrunner]

GURPS calls this the Ethnic Badass syndrome, referring to any weapon or device given exceptional game stats simply because it's "cool" or associated with an exotic group (e.g. ninja, Thuggee, etc.). Ironically, the original thread was about, yes, the katana.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Equality of the sexes is the biggest, I think. Hmmm...Also, I use those "dart thrusters" from Underdark-basically spring-powered repeating hand crossbows.

 

[Wombat]

Anachronisms?

Well, there is sexual equality, racial equality (mostly), comparatively easy social mobility, relative religious harmony, and a much more cash-based economy.

I keep the techonology fairly well under controll.

And, of course, there is magic.

Now by several campaign's standards, I am fairly restrictive in these areas, but compared to the times I am modelling them on (16th century), my campaign is run by wild eyed Levellers!

 

[Andor]

Anachronisms?

Well, there is sexual equality, racial equality (mostly), comparatively easy social mobility, relative religious harmony, and a much more cash-based economy.

I keep the techonology fairly well under controll.

And, of course, there is magic.

Now by several campaign's standards, I am fairly restrictive in these areas, but compared to the times I am modelling them on (16th century), my campaign is run by wild eyed Levellers!

OTOH, European culture in our world was due to a complicated conflux of geography, technology, resources and history. I often find my suspension of disbelief strained by DnD worlds that try to be exactly like, say, 12th century Germany in spite of differing history, geography, ethnography, technology (counting magic as technology), and PHYSICS. Not to mention active gods.

One the reasons I like Eberron is it makes at least a token attempt to weave the realities of the DnD rules system into its history and culture.

As far as anachronisms that do bug me go, how about DMs who insist on a feudal social structure, then expect a Knight to bring prisoners back to town for a trial by jury. *rolls eyes*

Jack, you have debauched my sloth.

- My favorite line from that whole wonderful series.